Chapter 193: Coming to a Close

Chapter One Hundred Ninety-Three
Coming to a Close

The news about Qilangos was not long. It merely explained the time, location, people involved, and result. As the saying went, the shorter the report, the larger the matter.

Something that happened around eight or nine last night in the capital, Backlund, had already been exposed in Tingen’s newspapers this morning. The speed of information exchange in this world was not especially slow. This was all thanks to Emperor Roselle’s outstanding contributions… Mm, it must be that some nobles and members of Parliament who attended the ball leaked the news to familiar reporters, and a portion of those reporters used telegrams to send this sensational news back to their newspaper headquarters in other counties or cities…

Morning newspapers are usually typeset at night, printed after midnight, and released in the morning. That timing happened to allow emergency adjustments and immediate publication…

Just from this news, today’s Tingen Morning Post could probably sell at least a thousand extra copies, and that was counting only Tingen’s urban district…

Klein let his thoughts wander, and his heart gradually settled.

“Since Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos died, that proves Mr. Azik was not too severely injured even if he was hurt…

“If his injuries were serious, he would surely have been caught by the Mandated Punishers who rushed over, or by Duke Negan’s Beyonder bodyguards. And if something urgent like that had happened, Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man would have done everything possible to report it to me. The fact that none of that happened is enough to prove the situation remained controllable…

“Mm. If Mr. Azik still has not replied by tonight before midnight, and Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man have not prayed to me, I will blow the copper whistle again, summon the messenger, and send a letter to ask…”

Relaxing, Klein shifted his attention away from the newspaper and glanced around the public carriage.

Most people who had enough money to ride such transportation recognized words. Affected by the earlier “extra” cry, many had bought the Tingen Morning Post. Now, several literate passengers were discussing in low voices.

“Since very, very long ago, pirate kings and admirals have been threatening sea routes. Aside from retreating when facing national fleets, they have never cared about armed merchant ships… Although Qilangos had been listed as one of the seven pirate admirals for less than ten years, he is the first great pirate to be killed by the government…”

“To be honest, I am very curious why he came to Backlund. When a pirate leaves the sea, death becomes foreseeable.”

“I hope there will be more detailed reports later.”

“Storms above. Right now, I want to know which of Duke Negan’s bodyguards killed Qilangos. His bounty was a full ten thousand pounds!”

“Ten thousand pounds… If I had ten thousand pounds, I would resign immediately, buy two or three small or medium plantations, invest in colonial companies and railway company shares, and enjoy a fixed income every year…”

“That is only the Kingdom’s bounty. Intis, Feysac, Feynapotter, and some commercial organizations also put bounties on Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos. I urgently hope one newspaper will list the total amounts.”

Ten thousand pounds?

Klein fell into a brief daze when he heard that.

With his currently already generous salary, even if he neither ate nor drank, he would still need nearly twenty years to save that much…

If I had known earlier… Forget it. There was no way for me to claim the bounty. Nor would it be possible…

Somewhat disappointed, he folded the newspaper and looked out the carriage window.

At this point, he finally confirmed that the matter of Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos had come to a close. What remained was only some follow-up work, such as the batch of Roselle diary pages the Hanged Man would pay.

…

Backlund, Cherwood Borough.

Fors Wall, wearing a veiled hat, walked beside Xio Derecha along the street, heading toward the nearest Bavart Bank branch.

“Money always disappears before one notices,” Fors sighed.

Xio nodded with deep agreement.

“Yes.”

“Fortunately, Stormwind Villa has been rather popular, and royalties are still being deposited into my account one after another. Otherwise, I would have no choice but to find a clinic or hospital and become a doctor again.”

Fors sighed, both satisfied and worried.

After several seconds of silence, Xio asked carefully, “Will this investigation into Qilangos affect your identity as an author? After all, we might be watched by the Mandated Punishers, Nighthawks, and the others…”

“No. The person being watched will only be you.”

Fors chuckled softly.

“The one who found someone to report to the police station was you. The one who sent the letter was you. The one somewhat famous among gangs and certain streets of the East Borough is also you. And I, Fors Wall, have always been a recently popular bestselling author.”

“…”

Xio froze for a moment.

“So you spent this period of time accompanying me?”

Fors swept her hair back and smiled softly.

“Do you not think it was a very interesting experience? Mm… This experience has given me quite a bit of creative inspiration. My next novel will be about all sorts of stories triggered by a sudden murder.”

Xio instantly had no idea what words to use in response. She could only lower her head and continue walking. Because she was distracted, she even forgot to turn at an intersection, and Fors had to pull her back.

Just then, they heard the cry of a newspaper boy.

“Extra! Extra! Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos killed in Backlund!”

…

Huh? What?

Xio and Fors stared at each other in confusion.

Only after the newspaper boy came closer and repeated it several times did they abruptly awaken.

“What? Qilangos is dead?” Fors almost could not believe her ears.

“He actually died! How could he suddenly die?”

Xio, who had been hiding from the possible reverse pursuit of that vicious pirate, was both shocked and dazed.

This—should this not have followed a normal process? First, they would find clues and determine Qilangos’s purpose. Then they would gather powerful people and use that to set an ambush. Only finally would the pirate be killed… Yet in the end, the first step had not even been completed, and Qilangos was dead… dead so simply…

Fors and Xio looked at each other as if they had become two marble statues.

After several dozen seconds, Xio suddenly rushed toward the newspaper boy and bought a copy of that morning’s Tussock Times.

It was one of the three newspapers with the largest circulation in the Loen Kingdom.

“Hm… Qilangos really is dead. He was killed by Duke Negan’s bodyguard… Goddess, Duke Negan’s bodyguard is…”

Xio automatically silenced herself, not saying the latter words: “a powerful Beyonder.”

Fors gave her friend a pitying look.

“You actually completely believe the newspaper’s description…”

“All right. Perhaps someone else discovered Qilangos’s purpose ahead of time, and the higher ranks of the Mandated Punishers, Nighthawks, Machinery Hivemind, and the military’s special department jointly completed a successful ambush…”

Xio suddenly froze, exhaled, and said, “We no longer need to worry. We can return to normal life, but we must avoid that police station’s area as much as possible.”

She glanced at Fors, asking with some unease and worry, “How much compensation do you think Miss Audrey will pay us under these circumstances? I know a few hundred pounds is not much to her, but we did not truly complete the commission…”

“No. At least we forced Qilangos to show himself. The fact that he acted hastily and fell into an ambush must include our contribution,” Fors comforted her. “With Miss Audrey’s generosity, even if she does not pay the entire reward, she will at least pay half.”

“I hope so…”

Xio inhaled deeply, then whispered with longing, “I wonder who will claim that ten-thousand-pound bounty…”

“It really does make one jealous. If I had that money, I would already be Sequence 7, perhaps Sequence 6. Yet the opportunity keeps slipping past us!”

Fors also sighed emotionally. At the end, she reminded, “Xio, we should not go looking for Miss Audrey in the short term. Wait for her to contact us. Qilangos’s death hides far too many details we do not know. Rashly seeking Miss Audrey could very likely drag us into danger.”

Xio first nodded, then said in astonishment, “How did you know I was thinking of going to Queen’s Borough right now?”

“Guess,” Fors replied with amusement.

…

After a busy morning, Klein returned to Blackthorn Security Company and reported to Dunn Smith.

“Captain, the portion of Lanevus-related people I was responsible for investigating have no issues. They are all simply victims and were not involved in any supernatural incidents.”

Dunn had both elbows propped on his desk.

“Then stop for the time being. Once the portions handled by the others are finished, we will focus on the few suspicious targets. We cannot put all our manpower into this matter. We must be prepared for other sudden incidents.”

“Understood.”

Klein was about to stand and enjoy his lunch when he suddenly heard knocking at the door.

“Please come in,” Dunn said in his mellow voice.

The handle turned, the door opened, and Rozanne peered in.

“Captain, someone is here to commission a task.”

A commission…

That wording was directed at Blackthorn Security Company, not at the Nighthawk team…

So who has mistakenly found their way to us this time?

Klein silently muttered in sudden understanding.

Dunn thought for a moment and said, “We can listen. If it is too troublesome, reject it.”

He tidied his shirt, waistcoat, and watch chain, then left the office, passed through the partition, and approached the sofa area in the reception hall. Klein and Rozanne followed behind him out of curiosity.

Two ladies sat on the sofa. Both wore black soft hats and black dresses, with no extra colors.

One of them had a plump figure and fair skin. Her face was covered by the fine black net veil hanging from her hat, making her appearance indistinct.

Seeing her, Klein suddenly felt she looked familiar, as though he had seen her somewhere.

Just as he was trying to recall, he heard the other, thinner lady say, “The task we wish to commission is to follow and monitor Madam Sharon, and find evidence of her crimes.”

Madam Sharon…

Klein abruptly understood and remembered where that sense of familiarity had come from.

The lady who had not spoken was Councilman Maynard’s wife, the daughter of a New Party leader.

She cannot accept her husband’s death and refuses to acknowledge the police department’s conclusion, so she came privately to a security company to investigate again?

Heh. And she actually came straight to us…

Klein shook his head and laughed inwardly.